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Proceeding contribution from Jeremy Browne (Liberal Democrat) in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 4 March 2009. It occurred during Adjournment debate on Iran.


Iran

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving way in what is an excellent speech. Do the Iranians also have an incentive to engage more with the west because President Ahmadinejad came to power on a wave of desire from the overwhelmingly young population to see some of the material benefits that people in the west enjoy? On the occasions on which I have been to Iran, what has been most striking is that the anti-American rhetoric is a far weaker impulse than the desire to own a Michael Jackson CD and a pair of Levi jeans. If we could show the Iranian people that engagement with the west was of financial and material benefit to them, and that it would allow them to take their rightful place in the wider world, surely that would be a powerful incentive?


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
488 c261WH 
Session
2008-09
Chamber / Committee
Westminster Hall
Subjects
Armed conflict Human rights Drugs Iraq Economic situation Foreign policy Foreign relations Proscribed organisations Nuclear power Politics and government Terrorism USA Sanctions Afghanistan Israel Iran Middle East Taliban Mujahedin-e Khalq
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk